According to Venture Beat's Evan Blass, Microsoft will announce the availability of as well as release the anticipated software upgrade for Windows mobile devices on 17 March. To get Windows 10 Mobile, you'll reportedly need to manually initiate the update from your handset. That's how the rollout will start, but eventually, Microsoft will actively push it to eligible devices.

Microsoft has already confirmed a few Lumia phones that have been approved to receive Windows 10 Mobile. The free update was originally expected to roll out to Lumia smartphones in December, but that never happened. And then rumours claimed we would see it arrive in February, but again, that never happened. Now, however, the launch is thought to be imminent.

Although the full list of Nokia and Microsoft-branded Lumias set to get the update is not yet known, we'll likely learn more during Microsoft's announcement. Meanwhile, check out Pocket-lint's review of the software, where we described it as something of a mixed result. It's a more feature-rich platform than Windows Phone 8.1, with new options in the mix.

There's more integration, such as Skype, and better handling with Outlook and individual Office apps, for a smartphone experience that feels more mature. But we were not taken with the design.